The savior of the video game industry, birthplace of countless franchises, and iconic face of pop culture and history, theNintendo Entertainment Systemis legendary.Nintendo’s 8-bit powerhouse is rightfully known for games like Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda, and many, many more. Not every game on the NES got the sales or recognition it deserved at the time, though, sometimes emerging years later as jewels of the collecting and preservation communities.
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Some games were released well after the console’s heyday, with the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis having taken the cultural zeitgeist by storm. Others were recalled and buried or restricted to being mostly rental-only titles, making them scarce on store shelves. These aren’t the games people remember the NES for, but that doesn’t mean they deserve to be forgotten or overlooked.
8Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters
Lots of games were being back-ported during the initial few years of the 16-bit console wars, including some starring everyone’s favorite heroes in a half-shell. Fighting games in general aren’t at their best when players have, at the most, 4 buttons and a D-Pad to work with (Nintendo’s systems did have rather humble controllers at the time), but Tournament Fighters made admirable use of what the NES had on offer.
The sprite work is clean and readable, the controls are good for the era and the gameplay remains satisfying overall. While harder to find than its 16-bit siblings, NES Tournament Fighters is also available in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection for modern consoles and PC, for those wanting to play this 8-bit beauty without breaking the bank.
7Chip N' Dale: Rescue Rangers 2
Capcom spent a lot of the 8- and 16-bit era releasing a slew of awesome platformers, based on Disney’s Saturday morning cartoon lineup and theatrical releases. Rescue Rangers 2 is an excellent follow-up to the puzzle platforming action of the first game, with some quality of life improvements and more elements from the cartoon being incorporated into the levels and narrative.
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The greatest aspect holding this game back from being a beloved classic was its release window. It launched in late 1993, well into the 16-bit era, when NES games and consoles were being shifted to price-slash shelves. Combined with a limited release in far lower numbers than the original, this meant that Rescue Rangers 2 is a classic that came and went with little fanfare. It sadly missed its chance to shine when it was new on the shelves.
6Bonk’s Adventure
Another late launch, this time a port of a PC powerhouse title from Hudson Soft. Bonk’s Adventure is about a big-headed prehistoric child going on an epic quest, dealing with monsters and dinosaurs along the way.
The gameplay and overall feel of the game is brought over from the PC Engine well, albeit with expected and notable graphical downgrades from the more powerful consoles it was originally meant for. Had it not launched in mid 1993 in Japan and early 1994 in North America, more people might know about this wacky 8-bit adventure.
5Snow Bros.
Two princes are turned into snowmen and have to fight off hordes of monsters. Snow Bros. is a puzzle-action game that sees players bury enemies in snow before rolling them into balls and hurdling them away. The graphics and sounds are crisp and catchy, the controls are smooth, and the gameplay is simple yet compelling. It has all the makings of an 8-bit classic.
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Released at the cusp of the Super Nintendo’s launch, right when the Sega Genesis was establishing itself as the king ofarcade-quality ports, Snow Bros. didn’t move units the way it might have a few years earlier. Time has been kind to the game’s reputation, but painful on the wallets of those hoping to buy a physical copy of this cartoonish romp in the snow.
4Little Samson
A beautiful, enthralling and energetic action platformer that feels right at home on the NES, Little Samson is a powerful entry in the Nintendo Entertainment System’s extensive library. The graphics and sound capability of the NES had been largely mastered by developers by 1992, as demonstrated by the excellent sprite work and sound design here.
Little Samson is highly sought after and coveted as a result, fetching high prices on the secondary market. It’s also a common game to see emulated or reproduced on newer cartridges, for those unwilling to pay up the big bucks. Some might contest it, but those who have played Little Samson will tell you that it’s worth every penny.
3Bubble Bobble 2
One of the era’s best puzzle platforming games, and a face for the Taito company’s video game division. Bubble Bobble is a beloved series in the NES' library. It’s maintained a cult following for decades, with arcade cabinets, re-releases and spinoff entries coming out sporadically. Bubble Bobble 2 was one of the first rare games on the NES, with many not knowing of its existence until the early days of the Internet spread the word across the gaming community.
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Releasing in the west in mid-late 1993, many had long moved onto the 16-bit consoles. As such, they had no reason to believe that a big-name third party studio would still be releasing hard-hitting titles on older hardware. Bubble Bobble 2 is a blast, especially with a friend, but it’s not advised to shell out the money for a physical copy unless you’re a true die-hard fan (or come across a once in a lifetime deal).
2Wacky Races
Don’t be fooled, players aren’t competing in the actual Wacky Races themselves. Instead, they take charge of Hanna-Barbera’s sneaky, snarky dog Muttley as he travels the globe to collect items for his owner, the evil Dick Dastardly, defeating bosses and avoiding perilous pitfalls along the way.
Another excellent game by the renowned Atlus studio, Wacky Races looks great, plays great and does justice to the beloved cartoon mutt that’s been stealing the show since the 1960’s. If the game hadn’t come out in 1992 in limited quantities, more people would be singing its praises as a masterpiece. Once word spread of how rare and desirable the game was, prices for it shot through the roof, and likely won’t be coming down anytime soon.
1Bucky O’Hare
When Konami put out a game, it meant something great was coming to players' screens. Bucky O’Hare is a video game adaptation of one of many 90’s animated action series, starring the titular rabbit and his crew leading a resistance movement against an evil alien empire.
The sound design, level layouts, sprite work and gameplay is all top-notch and does the franchise justice in translating the action to the then-aging 8-bit hardware. If there was an appropriate swan-song to bid farewell to the 8-bit machine that changed the entertainment industry forever, this would be it for Konami.
